worth_the_wait

1. About to celebrate our 3rd wedding anniversary
2. Hubby is retiring from the military early next year
3. We're buying our first house together to settle permanently in ONE place
4. We have great friends who keep in touch from all over the world
5. We have sunshine and no rain for over 300 days a year
6. Soon we won't have grass .. YAY for not having to spend hours with a hose
7. The end is in sight for dealing with USCIS *cheer*
8. Finally shipping all my household items from the UK (God knows where we'll put it, but hey, at least it will be HERE)
9. Both enjoying good health (if knee injuries at present)
10. Beautiful warm, fluffy, clean towels straight from the dryer (couldn't resist this one as I've just finished laundry)
When all that you hoped for comes true, it's the best thing in the world to wake up with a smile on your face, beside the person that you love. The world can be a dark place sometimes and the news is depressing, so I'm glad for such a happy post today. It reminded me to count my blessings.

Muslims don't denounce other religions - they are people of the book, just as the Jews and the Christians - we are all people of the book. These are governments and extremists who are destroying these statues. There are ignorant people and people with malicious intent. You are confusing people's actions with the concepts of Islam.
You can't say that a majority condone this, because that is a generalization not based on fact. You are pulling things out of context. I don't think a person can make generalizations about a religion, because of the actions of some countries. Believe me, Morocco isn't a hotbed of Democracy, and the people there suffer a lot. Many are illiterate, have no political power, will die from childbirth because of lack of medical care, will never be able to succeed to have a normal life, and are basically treated like insects by their government. So should we hate them because they are Muslim????
The USA has had it's share of meddling in the affairs of other countries and they have also contributed to the many factors involved in what creates the dynamics of the world: poverty, colonialism, oppression by governments, illiteracy, etcetera. Knowledge begins at home. There are so many factors that are creating the angst that exists in the world. How can you say we are tolerant??? Our government surely creates some of the problems, while it professes to spread democracy, it gives money to both sides, and trains some of these people who end up being the big killers. I don't see how being intolerant of all Muslims helps create peace in the world.
I have friends who are Jewish, Jews for Jesus, Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Atheist, Agnostics...many within my own family. I don't see this constant conversation about putting Muslims on one side and the rest on the other as productive or healing in anyway. Recently I went to a lecture on Islam at Hope College - A Dutch Reformed University. I found the students there, most of whom are Christian, much more willing and inclined to listen and to try to understand what Islam is, rather than to condemn Muslims because of events that have taken place in the world. Their minds are open, not closed.
No one wants to be treated like #######, including the majority of the people who live in 3rd World countries and have no say in how their countries are run and have no power to change anything. That is what I mean by tolerance. Don't put all people in the same category, and perhaps spend some time with people who suffer much more greatly than we do here in America. Knowledge comes from within, not without, and no one is going to gain much by reading things in the media. Find out for yourself, get to know people yourself, to find out that most share similar sentiments, similar desires and similar needs as yourself.
These blanket statements and blanket sentiments do nothing but provoke negative feelings.

Hmmm. Generalizations. There were 1.1 Billion Muslims in the world in 1990 and by 2030, there will be 2.2 Billion. I am one of them, and I am an American. Most of these people are peaceful, as are the majority of people in the world. Governments and people with power create wars and create these dynamics. Generalizing about a large group of people just creates animosity, bad feelings and bigotry. Why not try to analyze what and who are the players in creating this dynamic in the world, instead of throwing out general comments about a large number of people? The average person around the world isn't trying to start a war, but is merely trying to survive.

People come in all shapes and sizes - putting them together in one group and making a judgement about them is stereotyping.

I find that we live in a compeltely uneducated world as far as the terms Muslim and Islam are concerned. If people would truly educate themselves I think this world would be very different BUT instead we live in a world where people prefer to be fed information, wrong or misinformed, who cares they said it on the news so it MUST be true.
Just sayin.....

I find that we live in a compeltely uneducated world as far as the terms Muslim and Islam are concerned. If people would truly educate themselves I think this world would be very different BUT instead we live in a world where people prefer to be fed information, wrong or misinformed, who cares they said it on the news so it MUST be true.
Just sayin.....

I find that we live in a compeltely uneducated world as far as the terms Muslim and Islam are concerned. If people would truly educate themselves I think this world would be very different BUT instead we live in a world where people prefer to be fed information, wrong or misinformed, who cares they said it on the news so it MUST be true.
Just sayin.....

Dear Fellow VJs from around the GLOBE and particularly from Pakistan.
First of All thanks for your support and valuable comments/tips/shared experiences,
k1 would have been very difficult with out the advises.
I am splitting the whole(INTERVIEW) experience in different phases for the ease of those
who has never been to ISLAMABAD, also the process inside the embassy/shuttle service
and visa Interview.
Here you go.
An accmdation was booked on 12 th august from karachi (including free pickup by hotel)
Day 1 ( 13th August)
left karachi for islamabad at 7:00am arrived Islamabad 08:45am ( driver was present)
left airport at 9:00-0920am arrived at hotel(for those who wants to travel to abbpara the taxi
charges are Rs 300/-) abbpare is 10-15 minutes away from shuttle service
Hotel was booked for 2 days @1500/per day(AC ROOM)
Hotel address: New Islamabad Hotel, Abbpara market Islamabad(0512607281), (hotel is good only
for a day or so)
Day 2(14th august)
Not much imporant, just reviewed the documents (watchd discovery whole day)
Taxi was booked for shuttle service from the hotel (@Rs 150)
Day 3(15th august)
left hotel : 0545am reached shuttle service at 0600am
Diplomatic Shuttle Service/Embassy PART::
0605 Got inside shuttle serive, People are friendly (dont waste ur time if u dont know, just ask ppl around
for help) i was guided to a room (kinda big hall) there was a counter (CHECK IN) u got to show them
the appointment letter and passport for ticket (charged me Rs 500) queue was long, took 20-25 minutes
to get a ticket, handed over the cell fone near check in counter, waited till 700am than a guy shouted
for US embassy, got into shuttle at 0700-0715, arrived embassy.
there were 2 queues (1 for immigrant and 1 for nonimmigrant visas) got into immigrant queue
hardly took 2 minutes, guard checkd the passport and appointment letter, then guided towards another
checkpoint, again passport and appointment letter checkd (Searched by metal detector) passed through
walk through security gate and guided towards another security point through Immigrant line
(YELLOW LINE).
Again passport and appointment letter checkd and guided towards inside the embassy, (complete searchd
inside embassy, belongings passed through Xray machines and than guided through a door towards a guard.
2 rows of seats (one for immigrant and one for nonimmigrant) guard guided immigrants to room No 4
Askd for appointment letter and a picture, finger prints were scanned, and than guided towards
another room 6 or sumthing (window 5).
Once got into room 6 (it was a big room with 12 windows) window 5 was cashier window, submitted the
appointment letter at window 5, and waited 30 minutes till the turn came up.
After few minutes window 7 called and chckd the documents/ askd for medical and signed a document,
Interview language choice.
and than waited again for couple of minutes, again window 5 called and took $350/- and handed over
a letter to me of approved courier services and a purple token stappled on that paper.
after few time (window2 called)
INTERVIEW @ window 2(interview lasted for 25-30 minutes)
Greeted with smile (An american lady)
Q1. Who filed ur petition and who is calling u ?
A.
Q2. How do you guys met?
A.
Q3. Is that arranged or something?
A.
Q4. are u both related?
A.
Q5. Is that ur first marriage?
A.
Q6. Is that gonna be her first marriage?
A.
Q7. Do you have any kids?
A.
Q8. Does she have any kids?
A.
Q9. Where is she living?
A.
Q10. Is she living with her parents'?
A.
Q11. What does she do?
A.
Q12. Where your parents' live?
A.
Q13. How many siblings do you have?
A.
Between that she asked me about my fiancee, she is doing her med School in Pakistan
complication started about her education in Pakistan
CO.she is doing her medical in Pakistan and you will be living in US, and she will only
visit u during her vacations etc?
A.
told her that Med school is expensive in USA, thats why she is here.
CO. Yeah Education is very very expensive
A.
Q.14 How many more years she has got to do?
A.
Q.15 Hmm.. so for how long she is in USA right now?
A.
Q16. How u gonna manage it? ( we had some arguments over sumthing so tried to brief her
on certain issues and told her what she wanted to know about certain personal stuff sorry for
not sharing that)
A.
Q17. After discussion she said "it is not working out etc".
A. than i had to brief her on certain other stuff not asked by the interviewer but due to having
Foreign qualification, EUROPEAN DEFENSE vehicle DESIGN company experience, working experience with
European Airlines and long engagement history i was given bit relaxation.
Q18 Ur case is arite, but to apply for K1 one must has to be in US
A.
Q19 let me ask u few more things? (she started typing on computer)
and i told her few things about my engagement she stunned and asked me my age at the
time of engagement (we both laughed)
A.
Q20 What is your Qualification?
A.
CO. You sounds incredible to me.
A.
CO. You know what! I am in a good mood today
A.
we both smiled.
she handed over the pictures which were sent to USCIS previously and birth certificate.
and receipt of payment signed by CO
AND finally
CO. Congratulation!!!! you gonna get ur Passport in 15 dayz via American Xprs.
A. I was stunned (expecting AP or sumthing), but the next thing came out of my mouth,
thank you very much, CHEERS. LOVE U . LOVE U, flying kisses to CO.
CO. Laughed and said "NOW GO AWAY, GET OUT OF MY SIGHT"
1. Before me a k1 guy was rejected for not having proper pictures (he was told that u sound like married)
2. American citizen accompanying some1 are not allowed inside the embassy/check before u r
accompanying someone.
My documents were properly tagged i had no problem showing them wat they wanted from me,
REMINDED me of MY UNIVERSITY THESIS / assignment days and luckily they askd nothing except
the medical/passport, appointment letter and OBVIOUSLY
cash $$.
In the end i must thank visa journey ADMIN, members and my well wishers for sharing their
experiences and valuable comments.
************* ROUND 3 NEXT PHASE "POE and ADJUSTMENT OF STATUS" (To be Contd)************

i realize you are frustrated and all,but what youre stating is not right,USCIS doesnt care about the age gap,all USCIS cares about is the filling the required forms correctly and having met within the last two years.
age difference and all that jazz comes in picture in the embassy stage